LGBT+ Allies

There are currently approximately 30 LGBT+ Allies working here at the University, all of them committed to ensuring that the University’s workplace is an inclusive and LGBT-friendly environment.

LGBT+ Allies have a critical role to play in creating LGBT-friendly workplaces. Stonewall's Top 100 employers routinely tell us that ‘allies’ have been key to advancing fair treatment of their lesbian, gay and bisexual and transgender staff. Their involvement – often precisely because they’re not LGBT themselves – can have a transformative effect on the culture of an organisation and the workplace experience of all staff.

It’s clear that across Britain the vast majority of employees want their workplaces to be LGBT-friendly. YouGov polling of over 2,000 heterosexuals, commissioned by Stonewall, found that nine in ten support legal protections against LGBT discrimination at work. Many of Stonewall’s ‘Diversity Champions’ – the 600 major employers Stonewall works with, including the University of Essex – and their heterosexual employees still tell them, however, that they’re sometimes unsure how they can help make this a reality.

Meetings

The LGBT+ Allies group has meetings once a term when we invite speakers to talk on issues around LGBT+ and how we, as allies can support our colleagues in the workplace.